Strawberry plant named ‘Driscoll Osceola’

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry named ‘Driscoll Osceola.’ The variety is similar to the varieties ‘Biscayne’, and ‘Madeira’. The variety is distinguished from ‘Biscayne’, and ‘Madeira’, in particular, by a an orange red internal color of the fruit, a fruiting truss length of about 16.6 cm, a flat terminal leaflet margin profile, an obtuse terminal leaflet teeth shape, a dense petiole pubescence, a cordate fruit shape, and a very narrow band without achenes on the fruit.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: The variety isbotanically identified as Fragaria×ananassa.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new variety originated as a result of a controlled cross between thestrawberry plants ‘Marathon’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,817) and ‘Sonora’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,386) in an ongoing breeding program, and wasdiscovered as a seedling in Monterey Country, Calif. in 1999. Theoriginal seedling of the new cultivar was asexually propagated bystolons in a Shasta County, Calif. Propagules were transplanted to acontrolled breeding plot in Monterey Country, Calif., where the varietywas identified and selected for further evaluation. ‘Driscoll Osceola’was subsequently asexually propagated and underwent further testing inHillsbourough County, Fla. for three years. This propagation and testinghas demonstrated that the combination of traits disclosed herein whichcharacterize the new variety are fixed and retained true to type throughsuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety ofstrawberry named ‘Driscoll Osceola’. The new variety is distinguishedfrom other varieties by a number of characteristics as set forth inTables 1 to 4.

COMPARISON TO SIMILAR VARIETIES

The varieties which we believe to be similar to ‘Driscoll Osceola’ fromthose known to us are ‘Biscayne’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,186) and‘Madeira’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,109). There are severalcharacteristics of the new variety that are different from, or notpossessed by ‘Biscayne’ and ‘Madeira’. The new variety is distinguishedfrom ‘Biscayne’ and ‘Madeira’ by having, for example, an orange redinternal color of the fruit, a fruiting truss length of about 16.6 cm, aflat terminal leaflet margin profile, an obtuse terminal leaflet teethshape, a dense petiole pubescence, a cordate fruit shape, a very narrowband without achenes on the fruit, and average petiole diameter of about4.05 mm. The average petiole diameter was calculated from measurementstaken in August 2004.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographs show typical specimens of the new variety,including fruit, foliage, and flowers, in color as nearly true as it isreasonably possible to make in color illustrations of thesecharacteristics. The plants depicted in the photographs were planted infields in Hillsborough County, Fla. in October 2002 and were about 5months old at the time the photos were taken.

FIG. 1 shows the whole the plant.

FIG. 2 shows the upper side of the leaves of the plant.

FIG. 3 shows the under side and upperside of the flowers.

FIG. 4 shows the fruit in longitudinal cross-section.

FIG. 5 shows a close-up of the fruit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed description of the new variety is based uponobservations taken of plants and fruit grown in Hillsbourough County,Fla., U.S.A. This description is in accordance with UPOV terminology.Observations of ‘Driscoll Osceola’, ‘Biscayne’, and ‘Madeira’ were takenin side-by-side comparison in 2002-2003. Color designations, colordescriptions, and other phenotypical descriptions may deviate from thestated values and descriptions depending upon variation inenvironmental, seasonal, climatic and cultural conditions. Colors aredescribed and the most similar color designations are provided from TheRoyal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.) Colour Chart.

PROPAGATION

The new variety is principally propagated by way of stolons. Althoughpropagation by stolons is presently preferred, other known methods ofpropagating strawberry plants may be employed.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEW VARIETY

Information on the new variety is presented in Tables 1, 2, 3 and 4. Inthe tables, the flowers described are secondary flowers except whereindicated. The fruit described is the secondary fruit on one-year-oldplants. Flowers of ‘Driscoll Osceola’ are fully self-fertile and typicalof the species. Plants of the parent plants of ‘Driscoll Osceloa’ werenot available for side by side comparisons. ‘Driscoll Osceola’ differsfrom its maternal parent ‘Marathon’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,817) inhaving darker red fruit and superior shelf-life. ‘Driscoll Osceola’differs from its paternal parent ‘Sonora’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,386)in that it is partially everbearing in comparison to ‘Sonora’ which isfully everbearing.

Table 1 provides information on the plant and fruit characteristics ofthe new variety ‘Driscoll Osceola’ compared with characteristics of‘Biscayne’ and ‘Madeira’. Table 2 provides additional information of theplant and fruit characteristics of the new variety ‘Driscoll Osceola’compared with characteristics of the varieties ‘Biscayne’ and ‘Madeira’.Table 3 provides reactions of the new variety to pests and diseasescompared with reactions of the varieties ‘Biscayne’ and ‘Madeira’. Table4 provides isozyme characteristics of the new variety as compared tothat of the varieties ‘Biscayne’ and ‘Madeira’.

TABLE 1 QUANTITATIVE COMPARISON OF ‘DRISCOLL OSCEOLA’, ‘BISCAYNE’, AND‘MADEIRA’ ‘DRISCOLL OSCEOLA’ ‘BISCAYNE’ ‘MADEIRA’ Plant CharacteristicsHeight of Plant (cm) 13.7 13.5 15.8 Spread of Plant (cm) 34.5 32.6 36.1Number of Crowns 3.8 5.2 4.2 Leaf Characteristics Terminal LeafletLength 10.0 8.6 9.4 (cm) Terminal Leaflet Width 10.1 8.8 8.4 (cm)Terminal Leaflet 0.99 0.98 1.12 Length/Width Ratio # Teeth/TerminalLeaflet 25.6 23.8 18.8 Color of upper side 135B 137A 147A medium greenlight green dark green Color of under side 138B 139C 137B light graylight gray light gray green green green Petiole Length (cm) 10.6 11.711.0 Petiole Color 141C 141D 144B yellow-green yellow-green yellow-greenBract Frequency 30% 60% 80% typically typically typically double doubledouble Stipule Length (cm) 4.2 3.5 3.2 Stipule Width (cm) 2.4 1.9 2.2Stolon Characteristics Anthocyanin color 59D 59B 59C red purple redpurple red purple Diameter at bract (mm) 3.47 3.29 2.77 Avg. # ofDaughter 38 59 59 plants/Mother (2002 Nursery) Flower CharacteristicsPetal Length (cm) 1.5 1.4 1.4 Petal Width (cm) 1.7 1.6 1.5 PetalLength/Width Ratio 0.91 0.85 0.91 Flower Diameter (cm) 3.6 3.5 3.3 CalyxDiameter (cm) 5.0 4.6 4.1 Petal Color (cm) 155C 155C 155C white whitewhite Fruiting Truss Length 16.6 12.5 12.0 (cm) Fruit CharacteristicsFruit Length (cm) 4.9 4.9 5.0 Fruit Width (cm) 3.7 4.1 4.3 FruitLength/Width Ratio 1.34 1.20 1.18 Average Berry Weight 27.5 24.7 24.3(g) External Color 46A 46B 46A dark red red dark red Internal Color 48D44A 43A orange red medium red medium red 2002-2003 Yield 222 143 247(g/plant)

TABLE 2 QUALITATIVE COMPARISON OF ‘DRISCOLL OSCEOLA’, ‘BISCAYNE’, AND‘MADEIRA’ ‘DRISCOLL OSCEOLA’ ‘BISCAYNE’ ‘MADEIRA’ Plant Habit flatglobose flat globose flat globose Density open to medium medium mediumVigor medium strong strong Leaf Shape in cross section concave toconcave concave slightly concave Interveinal blistering medium weakmedium Glossiness medium medium medium Number of leaflets three onlythree only three only Terminal leaflet flat revolute revolute marginprofile Terminal leaflet shape rounded rounded obtuse of base Terminalleaflet shape obtuse rounded rounded of teeth Stipule pubescence mediummedium medium Petiole pubescence dense medium medium Petiole pose ofhairs outwards to outwards downwards downwards Stolon Amount medium manymany Anthocyanin medium to strong strong to very coloration strongstrong Thickness medium to medium medium to thick thick Pubescence densemedium medium Inflorescence Position relative to level with to levelbeneath foliage above Diameter of calyx larger larger larger relative tocorolla on secondary flowers Diameter of inner smaller to same same sizesame size calyx relative to outer size on secondary flowers Spacing ofpetals overlapping overlapping overlapping Fruiting Truss Attitude atfirst prostrate prostrate prostrate picking Fruit Predominant shapecordate conical conical Difference in shapes slight slight slightbetween primary and secondary fruits Band without achenes very narrownarrow narrow Unevenness of surface weak weak weak Evenness of colorslightly uneven even even uneven Glossiness strong strong strongInsertion of achenes below surface level with level with surface surfaceInsertion of calyx level level level Pose of the calyx spreading tospreading reflexed segments reflexed Size of calyx in same size tolarger smaller relation to fruit on larger secondary fruit Adherence ofcalyx strong strong strong Firmness of flesh soft to medium firm mediumEvenness of flesh slightly uneven slightly uneven slightly uneven colorDistribution of flesh marginal and marginal and marginal and colorcentral central central Hollow center size medium large medium Sweetnessmedium strong weak to medium Texture when tasted fine fine fine Aciditymedium medium weak to medium Time of Flowering very early early veryearly Harvest Interval late November early December late November in2002-2003 through late through late through late March March March Typeof Bearing partially partially partially everbearing everbearingeverbearing

REACTION TO STRESS, PESTS, AND DISEASE

TABLE 3 REACTIONS TO PESTS AND DISEASES FOR ‘DRISCOLL OSCEOLA’,‘BISCAYNE’, AND ‘MADEIRA’ ‘DRISCOLL OSCEOLA’ ‘BISCAYNE’ ‘MADEIRA’Reaction to Pests Tetranychus urticae susceptible susceptiblesusceptible Lygus hesperus susceptible susceptible susceptible ReactionTo Diseases Botrytis fruit rot susceptible susceptible susceptiblePowdery mildew moderately moderately moderately susceptible susceptiblesusceptible Verticillium wilt susceptible susceptible moderatelysusceptible Strawberry Mottle Virus susceptible susceptible partiallyresistant Xanthomonas fragariae moderately moderately moderatelysusceptible susceptible susceptible

ISOZYME ANALYSIS

In addition to the morphological description above, the new cultivar‘Driscoll Osceola’ has been analyzed to obtain an indication of itsgenetic makeup to provide further means for identifying the new varietyand distinguishing it from other somewhat similar and/or relatedstrawberry varieties. Specifically, leaf samples of ‘Driscoll Osceola’,‘Biscayne’, and ‘Madeira’ were analyzed by electrophoresis for isozymepatterns of the enzymes phosphoglucoisomerase (“PGI”), leucineaminopeptidase (“LAP”) and phosphoglucomutase (“PGM”). See J. Amer. Soc.Hort. Sci. 106:684-687. Isozyme characterization of the three varietiesis presented in Table 4, with the letters representing the bandingpatterns for each enzyme as designated in the above-identified article.

TABLE 4 ISOZYME ANALYSIS FOR ‘DRISCOLL OSCEOLA’, ‘BISCAYNE’, AND‘MADEIRA’ ‘Driscoll Locus Osceola’ ‘Biscayne’ ‘Madeira’ PGI A1 A1 A1 LAPB3 B3 B1 PGM C4 C4 C2

1. A new and distinct variety of strawberry plant, substantially as shown and described. 